The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

No surprises: the Swedish author, a woman “between eighty and one hundred years old,” says don't leave a bunch of stuff for your family/friends/loved ones to deal with after you die. But this was fun to read mostly because of the author's blunt style. One example: “It would have been incredibly nice to have had my husband's company to help me get through emptying our home... But it was impossible. He was dead.”

I enjoy reading takes on minimalism from different countries. This Swedish take is one of the closest to my own personal style than any that I've seen (even more than Konmari). It's not as catchy, but the concept is clear: life a life with an amount of stuff that you won't burden those who come after you with the weight of your stuff.

Having gone through my moms things when she passed (and she went through her moms things when she passed), this concept is quite prominent for me. For those who have never had the misfortunate of sorting through a loved ones life, it's a heavy burden to bear. Finding time to slim down pays dividends now for the living, and later for those still alive.

I enjoy reading takes on minimalism from different countries. This Swedish take is one of the closest to my own personal style than any that I've seen (even more than Konmari). It's not as catchy, but the concept is clear: life a life with an amount of stuff that you won't burden those who come after you with the weight of your stuff.

Having gone through my moms things when she passed (and she went through her moms things when she passed), this concept is quite prominent for me. For those who have never had the misfortunate of sorting through a loved ones life, it's a heavy burden to bear. Finding time to slim down pays dividends now for the living, and later for those still alive.

This is a sweet little book by a lovely Swedish woman who describes herself as between 80 and 100, about her experiences cleaning out after the death of loved ones, and again for herself before she moved to a smaller home. Don't read this for a revolutionary new technique to declutter; read it for the charming stories about her life, the recipes, and the comfort it brings if you are doing this work yourself. I found it very soothing to read as I was cleaning out my mom's apartment after her passing.